-last Albie-

It’s been told

in the folklore of land-chantey
of the ballpark’s fatal

infield chemistry—

a shortstop
bending at the waist

to scoop the sharp

grounder up, the blood
runs into his eyes and head
and when he rises, up he rises, the blood

of his arteries will run

from his head, spill from
the sockets of his eyes

drain to cloud his brain and

go down ye blood-

red roses, down.

                        Quequechan